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Why won’t a personal injury lawyer take my case?

Why won’t a lawyer take my case?

Insight from a Trusted Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been hurt in an accident and are looking to take legal action against the at-fault party, your first challenge will be finding an attorney willing to take your case and fight for compensation for your injuries.

At McGee, Lerer & Associates, we make it a priority to speak frankly to potential clients about their claim's likelihood of success. If we don't want your case, we'll explain why. We want you to understand the challenges presented by your case.

Below are some common reasons why a personal injury claim may be rejected by a firm. The more reasons that apply, the less likely a law firm will be interested in investing time and money in your case.

The victim delayed seeking medical treatment.

When there is a gap in treatment between the date of the accident and the first date of treatment, an insurance adjuster will use that gap against the injury victim in order to justify a low-ball settlement offer. To the adjuster, a delay in seeking treatment means that the injuries are minor.

The victim can't answer a straight question.

Personal injury attorneys are busy. In deciding whether to take on a new client, we have to ask lots of questions. If a potential client can't answer a straight question without going off on tangent after tangent - that's a warning sign. It's a warning sign that they may suck up a lot of time and that they may not hold up well under cross-examination by the opposing side.

The accident happened a long time ago.

The longer a prospective client waits to call us, the more opportunity there is for the injury victim, or attorneys they previously hired, to irreparably harm the value of their case. There are also statutes of limitation to consider.

There is a history of personal injury claims.

If you have made multiple prior injury claims, the at-fault party's insurance company will use that against you and try to paint you as an opportunist. Prior injury claims can present a challenge in your present case. The adjuster will try to argue that your current complaints were actually caused by a prior accident.

The claim has been shopped to other personal injury lawyers.

When a prospective client presents an injury claim that has already been rejected by other firms, there is usually a reason it was rejected. If it is a good case, another firm would have taken it.

Minor Damage to Your Car

If there was only minor damage to your car, the insurance company will use that against you and argue minor damage = minor injuries. Generally speaking, car damages of $1500 or less makes it a tough claim.

Lack of Witnesses

Particularly with lane change or intersection collisions, a lack of witnesses can really hurt a case. With no witnesses, the claim becomes a "he said/she said" situation and alleging and proving fault can be extremely difficult.

Soft Tissue Injuries Only

If you have sustained only minor injuries, your injury claim is likely of limited value, making it less likely a personal injury lawyer can afford to take you on as a client. The more serious the injuries (broken bones, hospitalization, surgery, scars) — the more likely a lawyer will be to invest his/her time and money in working up your case to achieve maximum settlement value.

Bad Impressions

If a prospective client comes off as unlikable, entitled, or insincere, they hurt their chances of securing personal injury representation. If your case does not settle and it goes to trial, a jury will have to decide how much the at-fault party must pay you. If you don't come across as likable, that can hurt the value of your claim.

Unrealistic Expectations

If a potential client has unrealistic expectations about the value of their case, that's a warning sign to the lawyer that the lawyer will never be able to make the client happy.

Even if some of these issues apply to your case, we encourage you to run your case by a personal injury lawyer. Consultations are free, so there is no reason not to get an attorney's opinion on the worthiness of your claim. Even if we decide against taking your case, we will educate you about the problems with your case, and give you free advice on what you should do.


We are ready to hear your story. Contact us for a free consultation.


 

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What Makes Us Different
  • Five Convenient Locations
    We have 5 offices in Southern California - Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Long Beach & Valencia
  • 24/7 Availability
    We can be available nights and weekends and come to you at the hospital or at home.
  • No Fees Unless We Win
    If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to recover your compensation, you owe nothing. Learn more here.
  • Individual Attention
    We take the time to understand all the unique factors of your case to achieve the best results.

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At McGee, Lerer & Associates, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.

    "This law firm is very professional"

    After my car accident, I didn't know what to do. I tried to fix the problem myself, and my insurance ignored me. After speaking with Catherine and her working group Maria and Nick, I have actually been able to achieve what my insurance said would not be po

    "They make you feel like you are their only customer"

    They were always available to answer my messages and questions. I am very grateful to them. I recommend them.

    "Thank you so much, my family and I are very grateful."

    Thank you McGee Lerer & Associates! Your services went beyond expected. You always kept me updated with calls and emails. I am very satisfied with the facility you sent me to. They were excellent!! Doctors and staff were friendly. Thank you so much, my fam

    - L.J.
    "ny questions my wife and I had Catherine or Denise we’ll gladly answer. Once again highly recommend this firm."

    McGee, Lerer and Associates’s, thank you for your help. I highly recommend this firm. Catherine was our lawyer who helped my wife and I out during the whole process of a car accident we were. Denise as well helped us through out the process. Any questions

    - R.A.
    "hey helped me get the medical treatment I needed. I recommend this firm for personal injury cases!"

    After a bad car accident I was referred to McGee, Lerer and Associates. I closely worked wih Catherine and Rachael, who always had time to answer my questions and were concerned with my wellbeing and healing after the accident. They helped me get the medic

    - M.J.
    "I want to thank Catherine and her team for making this process fast and easy for me and my husband. Any questions we had they answered right away."

    I want to thank Catherine and her team for making this process fast and easy for me and my husband. Any questions we had they answered right away.

    - E.A.
    "I Highly recommend them!"

    I'm 24 years old and barley understand my car insurance to be honest. When i got into my accident I was easily discouraged and willing to just accept what happened and not do anything. Luckily a close friend of Catherine's is a customer at my restaurant an

    - M.P.
    "very professional customer service and excellent staff."

    Excelllent team of attorneys. Changed the bad experience of getting into a accident to a positive outcome. I got all the medical help I needed to recover. very professional customer service and excellent staff.

    - N.G.